Malmö Citysamverkan

What Malmö Citysamverkan does

Malmö Citysamverkan is a non-profit cooperative founded in 1995 and headquartered in Malmö, Sweden. It is owned in equal thirds by retailers and other city-centre businesses, property owners, and the City of Malmö, and functions as a Business Improvement District (BID) coordinating the commercial vitality of Malmö's central area stretching from Central Station to Triangeln and from Drottningtorget to Davidshallstorg. The organization operates with a lean team of 11 employees and serves ~458 member businesses (plus over 200 businesses automatically engaged through property owners), local residents, and visitors through three core activities: a city-wide events and training programme, an internal member communication platform (City Connect, powered by Chainels), and the proprietary Malmö City Gift Card — a reloadable prepaid debit card accepted at over 400 locations including Hansa, Caroli, and Triangeln shopping centres, Malmö Saluhall, and Malmö Central Station.

The technology stack is straightforward and consumer-facing: EML Payments handles the card processing and balance infrastructure, Stripe and Hejfaktura process webshop payments, GetMyBalance provides cardholder balance checks, and Chainels underpins member communications, business profile management, and event distribution. The gift card can be loaded with SEK 100–5,000, is valid for 12 months, and operates as a magnetic-stripe debit card using the last four digits of the card number as the access PIN. Supporting digital products include an event listing platform, a membership portal, parking and bicycle rental directories, and active social media channels across Facebook (35,602 followers), Instagram (15,963), and LinkedIn.

Malmö Citysamverkan's revenue mechanics blend three streams: (1) annual service fees contributed equally by the three owner groups (retailers, property owners, municipality), (2) gift card transaction economics with daily volume of approximately 117 cards and SEK 50,000 loaded value (~SEK 18.5M total loaded value in 2022, up from SEK 3.5M in 2018), and (3) project and event sponsorship including EU funding and partnerships with media outlets such as Sydsvenskan, Lokaltidningen, and Skånetrafiken. Distribution combines direct office sales (82% of gift card volume), Pressbyrån retail kiosks, vending machines at Triangeln and Saluhall, the webshop, and 400+ member point-of-sale locations, positioning Malmö Citysamverkan as a hybrid public-private platform operator rather than a traditional commercial enterprise.

Name

Malmö Citysamverkan

Legal name

Malmö Citysamverkan Service AB

Website

https://malmocity.se

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Malmö Citysamverkan is a non-profit cooperative founded in 1995 that manages Malmö's central business improvement district. It serves 458 member businesses, retailers, property owners, and the City of Malmö through the 400+ merchant Malmö City Gift Card, the Chainels-powered City Connect member platform, and a city-wide events and training programme.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

NAICS

Convention and Trade Show Organizers (56192)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Economic Development & Business Licensing (Local) (BPAIACAN)

Keywords

• City centre management
• Business improvement district
• Gift card services
• Urban retail collaboration
• Municipal partnership services

Headquarters

HQ city

Malmö

HQ country

Sweden

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Annual Service Fees: Activities are funded through annual service fees paid by members, with one third each from the three owner partners (retailers/businesses, property owners, and City of Malmö).
2. Gift Card Sales: The Malmö City Gift Card is a fast-growing product that generates revenue through card loading fees. Approximately 117 gift cards worth SEK 50,000 are sold daily on average. 82% of sales are made directly from the office via invoice.
3. Project Funding and Sponsorship: Funding through EU projects, grants, and voluntary contributions from various associations and organizations. Sponsorship from various partners for events and activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels11 records

Core offering

Malmö Citysamverkan is a non-profit cooperative that coordinates city centre development in Malmö, Sweden, owned equally by retailers/businesses, property owners, and the City of Malmö. Its primary revenue-generating product is the Malmö City Gift Card (Presentkort), a reloadable prepaid debit card valid at over 400 member locations. The organization also provides member services including marketing support, training programs, networking events, and a communication platform (City Connect powered by Chainels).

Product overview

Malmö Citysamverkan operates a suite of digital and physical services centered on promoting Malmö's city center. The core product is the Malmö City Presentkort (Gift Card) system—a prepaid debit card valid at 400+ merchants, purchasable via webshop, vending machines, and Pressbyrån locations. Supporting services include City Connect (powered by Chainels), an internal communication platform for members to manage profiles and receive updates; an Event Platform showcasing city events; a Membership Program offering training and promotional benefits; and directories for parking and bicycle rentals. The portfolio is primarily consumer-facing with a B2B member engagement layer, connected through the Chainels-based City Connect system.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Malmö City Presentkort: A gift card/debit card valid at over 400 locations in Malmö City, purchasable from 100-5000 SEK. Available at Pressbyrån stores, Triangeln, Saluhallen, and online.
• Malmö City Gift Card
• City Connect
• Malmö City Awards

Quantifiable outcome

• Gift card sales grew from SEK 3.5M (2018) to SEK 18.5M (2022)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments3 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Malmö Stad (City of Malmö)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three equal owners of the non-profit cooperative alongside retailers and property owners. Represents the public sector stakeholder providing long-term stability and collaborative framework for city centre development.
• Retailers and BusinessescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three equal owners of the cooperative. Active participants in city centre development through membership, area meetings, and events.
• Property OwnerscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of three equal owners. Includes Vasakronan, Stena Fastigheter, Wihlborgs, Jernhusen, and Volito. Property owners fund Christmas lighting and other improvements.
• EML Payments LtdcoreTechnology or IntegrationPresent card provider that handles personal data according to privacy policy. Manages the gift card system functionality and balance checking.
• StripecoreTechnology or IntegrationPayment processor for card payments in the web shop. Provides secure payment infrastructure for online gift card purchases.
• HejfakturacoreTechnology or IntegrationInvoice payment provider for the web shop. Allows customers to pay via invoice with 14-day payment terms.
• PressbyråncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFirst city centre in Sweden to sign reseller agreement in 2017. All Pressbyrån stores in Malmö now sell the Malmö City Gift Card.
• SydsvenskanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain partner for Malmö City Awards gala. Co-organises the Shop, Café and Restaurant of the Year competition and related media coverage.
• LokaltidningenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerMain partner for Malmö City Awards gala alongside Sydsvenskan. Provides media coverage for award winners.
• SkånetrafikenmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerAnnual advertising agreement with minimum ten campaign weeks per year on city buses, regional buses, and local trains highlighting city centre services and events.
• GoogleminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration through Digitalakademin #försverige providing free training programs in digital tools for SMEs in Skåne during the pandemic.
• Swedish Trade FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFunded City Expertise training program covering Service & Handling for member organisations. National working group with other city representatives.
• ChainelscoreTechnology or IntegrationCommunication platform provider for internal member communications. Replaced internal app, newsletter program, and CRM in 2019. Malmö collaborates with other Swedish cities using Chainels.
• BBDO NordicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgency collaboration for the 'Talk Dirty' campaign which achieved world news attention and 398% increase in bin use.
• Almi Företagspartner SkåneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerGovernment-backed business advice and loan provider for SMEs. Listed as collaboration partner on the Malmö City platform.
• ÖresundsbronminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCross-border collaboration to attract Danish visitors to Malmö City through Öresundsbron's website, newsletters, and social media targeting Danish customers.
• Vasakronan ABmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor property owner with Business Area Manager Eric Sjöstedt as Chairman of the Board. LEED-certified properties in Malmö.
• Stena Fastigheter Malmö ABmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty owner represented by Martin Landler on the Board. Notable projects include Trikåfabriken renovation.
• Wihlborgs FastighetermajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProperty owner represented by Stefan Eklöf as alternate Board member. Provides fast chargers at Storgatan 15A in the city.
• JernhusenminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerState-owned railway property company represented by Fredrik Elfvén as alternate Board member.
• PostNordminorOthersDelivery partner for gift card orders. Approximately half of the 2,000 annual orders delivered by PostNord.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Regional players

• Göteborg & Co: Gothenburg's economic development and city marketing organization tasked with promoting the city and supporting local businesses. It is comparable to Malmö Citysamverkan because both operate tri-party municipality-private collaboration models to drive city centre vitality in Sweden's two largest non-stockholm city regions.
• Stockholm Business Region: Stockholm's official economic development agency, working to attract investment and strengthen the capital region's commercial base. It is comparable to Malmö Citysamverkan as the analogous municipal-private economic development vehicle for another Swedish city region.
• Wonderful Copenhagen: Copenhagen's publicly-funded city brand and tourism development organization, similar in mission to promote the city's commercial vitality. It is comparable because it pursues an analogous stakeholder-driven model across the Øresund region, of which Malmö is part.

Others

• Svenska Stadskärnor: The Swedish national industry association for city centres that administers the City Centre of the Year award won by Malmö Citysamverkan four times. It is comparable as the umbrella body representing BID-style citysamverkan organizations across Sweden, sharing members, methodologies, and benchmarking data.
• International Downtown Association (IDA): Global industry association for place management organizations and Business Improvement Districts (BIDs), headquartered in Washington, D.C. It is comparable as the international umbrella body for the same type of organization as Malmö Citysamverkan, providing benchmarking and best-practice frameworks used by city centres worldwide.

Direct peers

• New West End Company: BID for London's premier retail district (Bond Street, Oxford Street, Regent Street) that represents retail and property interests in city centre management. It is directly comparable as a BID focused specifically on a retail-led city centre district, mirroring Malmö's commercial composition.
• Heart of London Business Alliance: One of the largest Business Improvement Districts in the world, representing businesses in the West End of London through services such as security, marketing, and street improvements. It is directly comparable to Malmö Citysamverkan because both are BID-style organizations funded by levy-paying members to coordinate city centre activity.

Broad incumbents

• Downtown Denver Partnership: An established urban place management organization in Denver that delivers programming, transportation, safety, and economic development services for the downtown core. It is comparable to Malmö Citysamverkan because both manage a defined central business district via stakeholder-funded coordination, although on a larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCUSE3SBNP9ipV69j0DAwH8g
• Facebookfacebook.com/malmocitysamverkan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/malmo-citysamverkan-service-ab
• Instagraminstagram.com/malmocity

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Malmö Citysamverkan